


Habits and Lemonade

by CompanyMask



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, blsummerbingo2017, canon typical language and violence, implied Jacknisha and Nishackothy but very mild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 07:49:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11122902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CompanyMask/pseuds/CompanyMask
Summary: Timothy works out to train and Jack brings him something to help cool him off. (Rated for language and sexual references, for the blsummerbingo2017 event on tumblr)





	Habits and Lemonade

“Nice moves! You’re a regular powerhouse now, huh, cupcake?” Jack amusingly commented; accompanied by a slow clap. He leaned up against the metal framed entrance of the room with a smirk that pulled more on one side than the other.

To sum it up in a few words it was training day. Well, training day for Timothy anyway. Tim had a couple of personal days during the week Jack insisted should be for training. Well, more like told him that’s what they were for because he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Jack was a badass and he expected the same from his double. Whatever skills he had Jack wanted said skills instilled in his double to be a convincing representation of himself and all that. Physically anyway, he didn’t need Tim to be too identical like with sharing memories or intelligence. Tim was smart as hell but Jack never saw him reaching the genius level he shared all by his lonesome. Anyway, as Jack’s chisel jawed double Tim had a lot of obligations ranging from performing convincing body language and personality to obtaining and maintaining his handsome physique. Now, Tim figured Jack embellished _a little_ when he proclaimed he was lean and mean and expected Tim to be the same or something to that effect. As far as Tim, or anyone else on Helios, knew Jack never had time to get into serious training to get his body to peak condition. He was the CEO of fucking Hyperion and working on his gradual _influence_ over Pandora. He didn’t have time to waste doing anything else but being Handsome Jack. Not to say the Hyperion CEO was relaxed with his own physique-he greatly valued a moderate level of an exercise regime to keep him fit enough to snap the necks of his enemies with his bare hands and look hot as hell doing it-but he was not this steel cut Adonis either. If anything, Tim was falling closer to that description. From his vault hunter work consisting of taking down baddies and monsters who dare to stand in Jack’s way-or try to kill Tim for his having his boss' likeness-to his mandatory training days assigned after the victory on Elpis he was what one would say the better fit Jack. Well, if most people knew this doppelganger existed anyway. After defeating Dahl it became a lesser known fact with exception to some of Jack’s higher ranked hired help like Nisha and Wilhelm. Regardless of the details it was an amusing thought that may have provoked a chuckle from the double if he wasn’t hot and exhausted—of Jack. The man always came in at random intervals during these training days with clever quips and his acquired taste kind of a humor that was either distracting or completely cruel and unnecessary (the poor Hyperion employee had no clue the training room was for specified personnel and when Jack reprimanded him he joked for a few sessions the stupid look on the asshole’s face when the air lock had opened sucking him into space). Tim also had to deal with Jack’s rather _friendly_ comments from his boss which would have creeped him out if they were still in the stage of getting used to each other. 

Tim was ashamed to admit-more accurately deny-to himself the heat that spread under the skin of his upper body and face were from his work out routine and not Jack’s need to tell him how well his ass fit into his Hyperion grade workout pants and how fucking hot it was how Tim's well toned arms complemented the sleeveless shirt or how delectable the shine of his skin was after a work out. No, it was just hot and had nothing to do with that. Tim hoped the towel around his neck he used to wipe his face of sweat hid the darkening hue of his cheeks but Jack always noticed. There was always a telling smirk that indicated his comment hit home and Tim honestly wanted to punch his employer in the face each time. With his fist and not with his lips. Never with his lips. 

Truth be told it was very sultry in that work out room. All. The. Fucking. Time. It was brimming at the seams with exercise devices, climate proof technology and artificial humidity. To keep the room fresh and the air breathable there was a state-of-the-art air filtering system that mimicked the cleanest air, well ventilated and all, but lacked any kind of real air conditioning. It was excluded purposefully. Jack had mentioned something about sweating was good for the skin and body or something but Tim hadn’t really wanted to be the one to confirm or deny anything Jack said. An employee always died when that happened. Besides any objections would probably go unheard despite the room more or less being where Tim would spend a selected couple of days of the week. 

The training room was a ways off from Jack’s office and admittedly had previously been just part of another abandoned sector of Helios left to its own devices. Not deep enough to fall into the long forgotten, infected sectors of Helios but in the fray of the functioning parts; a place just no longer maintained due to the need of the space expiring. Before renovations the room was nothing more than an old data center filled with outdated technology, old, useless files from years before of employees that may or may not have been alive and was brimming with dust with the stale odor of disuse. Older, deactivated Claptrap units (and frames) and broken cleaning and loading bots were also discarded in the room as well like it was a bootleg garbage dump. Jack had originally remodeled the room for his own uses (typically, he wanted to get abs he could demolish skulls with or at least Tim had remembered hearing something similar to that being said) but the CEO decided what was his was his doubles’ too. Well, not really but it was an excuse to have an extra use for the room he hadn’t ventured into as often as planned. 

Tim’s work outs were pretty basic like weight lifting and cardio but some days he really enjoyed when the gravity in the room was off and had free reign to practice with the digiJacks. They were sometime reprogrammed to fire at him and he’d practice dodging maneuvers and battle tactics he could use in combat. It was a way more efficient way to stay fit and train himself to be a better vault hunter. Tim hadn’t always had control of how aggressive the digiJacks were though and sometimes when it was more than he could handle the program would cease but not before a barrage of sarcastic insults to “motivate” him to do better. Jack had added the touch himself, claiming inspiration was key. If Tim hadn’t grown accustomed to the digiJack’s already mouthy nature and identical arrogance to the original it’d be annoying as hell. Still kind of was but at least Tim could shut them up with a little trident path called violence. 

Tim didn’t know when he’d gotten so used to everything to a point that it all felt normal but it made him question his sanity a little. How does someone get used to the alien world of Hyperion; to Handsome Jack and the whole crazy package that came with him? What used to annoy the double or scare him he started to find welcomed in some twisted way. Endearing like when a lover does cute favors but instead it was Handsome Jack and he would spew shit at Tim in ways only the CEO would find humor in or sexually harass him for his own amusement—Jack rather enjoyed a flustered Tim. Even that distorted brand of humor began to…amuse him. Tim figured this room was doing things to his mind because all of these thoughts while dodging laser shots from the digiJacks just showed how his mind and body had changed. He couldn’t concentrate but his movements became instinct. Or the digiJacks were going easy on him as they noticed his sloppy, distracted movements. Either way, every time Tim used this room this had become more of a problem. He figured the action and noise would distract his mind but all he did was expose himself with more of Jack’s likeness. He swore on the grave of his beloved freckles that he was just suffering from dehydration or oncoming heat stroke or _something_. 

Not always being a savage dick Jack would sometimes bring Tim something to help ease the intensity of the room’s relentless level of humid heat. He had to take care of his double, his investment, after all. This was one of those times. Jack had a couple of tall cans and idly tossed one to his double when close enough. Tim nearly fumbled the catch but at the last second was able to grip the can and avoided losing it to the floor. It was so hot, or the can was so cool, that it already starting to condensate. Observing the can Tim saw it was a bright yellow and sporting Hyperion’s logo and Handsome Jack’s cartoon styled face near the logo on the far-right corner. It read: “Hyperion Lemonade! It’s better than you so  drink it”. Tim was speechless but appreciated the coolness of the can seeping into his fingers. He silently popped the can open and began to drink and it was actually good. Really good. Not too sweet or too tart and just enough artificial flavoring to sell home it was ‘natural’. The cool liquid was a welcome contrast to the warmth that consumed Tim from the inside out. Finishing the can with little effort a sign of appreciation followed suit. It was refreshing, brisk and already the room’s less than pleasant temperature was less noticeable. 

The flavor was so distinct and calming that it reminded Tim of home. No, not his quarters on Helios-a lavish guest house suite that was added to Jack's home to “keep his likeness where he keeps himself” but his home back on Eden; back with his mom. It took him back to the days he was still just Timothy Lawrence with freckles, good grades, a small dick, an ugly mug, student loans and all. Studious to a fault, there were days he lived in his room preparing for exams, working on on-going projects and finishing up academic papers. Those were days his mother would bring up a treat. Sometimes a snack but there was always lemonade during the hot days and lemon tea during the cold. She always smiled before placing the drink on Tim's desk then would silently see herself out. 

As much as Tim would like to remember her as a kind, warm woman (and often times he would delude himself ‘reminiscing’ about how great she was) she was actually rather distant and sometimes cold. Not just to Tim but anyone like she was the only person in the world. Often blocked out Tim could recall moments when he’d fall or trip or hurt himself as a kid and his mother found it pretty damn hilarious. She never comforted or cooed her son from pain but relished in it. She never caused him direct pain but her inability to empathize with his physical pain sometimes caused emotional pain too. 

She was always gone because she always worked to sustain the home they shared and when she was around the only times Tim could clearly remember receiving affection was when she did small things like the offering lemonade with a snack or asking him about school. Tim could still hear the echo of his mother’s laughter when she had been told of his ‘death’. It had caught him off guard but he wasn’t surprised nor did he feel anything in particular. What could he feel? He told himself she missed him but deep down he wasn’t sure. He told himself he was fairly sure but he knew he was lying. The doubt scaled his body with sporadic, quick movements like a twisted, jagged creature and crept into his chest and nested deep like rat bandits into the snow or sand. It was as bittersweet as the citrus kiss of his mother's lemonade. It was a flavor Tim grew to cherish and sometimes loathed. He loathed not because he hated her or anything, Tim didn’t have lack the heart to because she was always like that, but because he always remembered her and sometimes he didn’t want to. Even when Tim joked and commented that he wished he was back home with her somewhere in his mind he knew it wouldn’t be a difference either way. He could be there or not and the only thing that would change is if he was given a glass of lemonade or not. He wanted the security of his conformed life compared to the life he had. Elpis was unpredictable, Helios was unpredictable and Pandora was dangerously unpredictable and batshit insane and dirty to boot. Everything was fucking random and Tim just wanted the safety of routine again. He didn’t really want to think about it anymore because it always became twisted and complicated. 

The room suddenly spiked in heat-or rather Tim had-as his face flushed and eyes became glassy and his vision blurred. His breathing had suddenly shallowed and was borderline ragged. He blinked a few times to try to compose himself. Jack had been silent the entire time as he witnessed Tim slowly became undone. The guarded nature of his double had cracked then shattered and what was left was Timothy Lawrence. Raw and open and fighting back tears to avoid the embarrassment and critical cut throat criticism that came with Jack's audience. There were _rules_ to being Jack and the most important was likeness in character. Jack didn’t cry Tim was told. That much was clear to the double. Jack had been the opposite by comparison in this moment: and impenetrable wall with guarded body language-arms folded and expression unreadable-as Tim wiped at his eyes with the towel wrapped at his neck. A moist chuckle and excuse that he had gotten something in his eye was followed by a quiet sob. 

“Heh, I…I think I overdid it today, Jack.” A chipped comment try to save face as the double hid in the flimsy embrace of his towel possibly to catch stray tears and hide the ugly distortions that came with crying. Jack _hated_ it. He hated his likeness looking and sounding so vulnerable. So _weak_. Fuck, it reminded him of his own days that were like this, crippling with denial he would never admit to. It was weird like and outer body experience to see and hear ‘himself’ struggle to maintain composure. It pissed Jack off but not for the reasons he thought it would but he was silently seething behind those eyes. A minute that felt like days passed before the CEO pulled away Tim’s towel. It unveiled what Jack had expected: moist skin from tears and his likeness looking beaten and defeated. It was fucking unbearable. This had to end as soon as possible. Jack took the extra can of lemonade and placed it at one of Tim's cheeks. The contrast of the double’s warm cheeks and the cold can had shocked Tim out of his moment and was left to confront his employer mismatched eyes to mismatched eyes. Jack had grinned something part artificial and part sincere. 

“Geez kid, I have another one if you’re that spent. Even a badass like myself,” Jack started and always referred to just singular words when speaking about both of them because Tim was him by his logic, “needs a recharge. Hero’s have an off switch.” Jack hardly knew how to approach this emotionally intimate moment any other way than with casual humor. What the hell was he going to say when he had to look himself in the face looking so damn pitiful? It was weird and for the first time made having a double weird. It was an oversite to say the least. It wasn’t just hot eye candy all the time. Jack noted if he _ever_ made more doubles then he’d want them as emotionless as possible. It would be an requirement. 

Tim was silent but the message rang home. Maybe it really was the intense training and this damned room. He felt the gradual change over the course of the last few weeks. Maybe it was too much. Tim knew that wasn’t entirely true but he’d take it. It was better than falling back into a bad place. Tim had taken the can by the bottom, Jack had been holding it to his double’s face by the top, and the loudest can pop in the world signaled him to drink. He didn’t savor the flavor like that first time but drank it down fast. He didn’t want to memorize the tangy yet sweet sting of the lemonade like before. He didn’t want to even recall how similar his mother was to it, a balanced mixture of sweet and sour. He just wanted to feel the refreshing coolness hit his gut and let that ease his body and mind. Jack had looked bemused by the desperate guzzling of the drink. Not because it had been a show to see Tim drink it down so quickly like a thirty animal but that after the drink was gone his double looked relieved. A lot easier on the eyes. For more than one reason. 

“Calm down, kiddo. Baby sips. Might need a bottle with that kind of enthusiasm.” 

“Th-thanks.” Tim said quietly disregarded Jack's two cents but he also was grateful. He kind of needed that dose of Jack’s nonsense to pull him back. He hadn’t fell that hard in a long time. A small smile graced the double’s face. This was a lot better. Tim meekly looked up from the empty can in his hand and now was trying to ignore how Jack’s eyes stared appreciatively at the results of Tim’s work out. His face was warm again but not from tears. Tim cleared his throat to hint that he noticed but as usual Jack didn’t seem to care. He wasn’t keeping his interest a secret. He never did. Come on, he was that hot. He knew how fuckable he was. Even the great Handsome Jack could not resist…Handsome Jack. 

Tim’s workout clothing had fit well to his body, a simple sleeveless shirt and pants as usual, but maybe more so from inevitable sweating from this god forsaken room and his exercise activities. There were knicks and wear in a few areas from the digiJack training but nothing serious that needed repairing. Exposed skin, what little had been exposed, was glistening because it was fucking hot even without running around like a lunatic. 

“Can’t help it, kitten,” Jack responded to Tim’s subtle objection to being ogled, “your body looks good. Distractingly so. You have me to thank for that by the way. I would say no thanks are necessary but come on, I did you a favor.” It was such a back handed compliment that Tim almost felt the smack to his cheek but it didn’t seem to care. He hated how his heart swelled when this jackass complimented him. Even if he wasn’t sure if it was just the doppelganger or Timothy Lawrence he just liked it. The nickname kitten often hit hard and even out of context of being hit on it made his heart thrum. At this point who Jack was enamored with didn’t even matter. Fucking hell, Tim needed to take a break from training. He wouldn’t be back to this room for a couple of weeks minimum. 

Tim had the urge to roll his eyes at his stupid reaction to his boss and the almost scripted compliments of his body. This was the setup of a really…bad porno probably. Not that Tim would know that! He was guessing. Really. His face and neck blossomed healthy shade of red from his own thoughts and he was greeted with another trademark Jack smirk. 

Heat seared deep in Tim’s cheeks and he tried to seem annoyed but his reddening cheeks and failed attempt at a frown-more of a pout-spoke otherwise. Tim bit his lip thinking of anything to end this high level of awkwardness. 

“I’m going to clean up and uhh get the briefing for the next mission.” It was such a by the books excuse but it was efficient enough. Jack had no objections and added in a nice “Hate to see you leave but love to see you go” kind of comment and with another fresh hue of red Tim scurried out of the workout room wiping his face and definitely not hiding behind his towel to avoid even peripheral vision of his boss. Jack had been rather pleased he could get such reactions out of his double. It pooled something pleasant in his gut. He hadn’t such the luck with Nisha as she was often the one to elicit reactions from him so it was a pleasant change in dynamic. Interestingly enough maybe he’d have to get his double to take his place during those times, it was a more than intriguing idea and fucking hot. If it were a porno he’d call it two Jacks and a Queen; hah hah get it. Nisha would like that. Not that it would actually be a thing but hypothetical porno names for sexual situations were always fun. Yeah, maybe the unforgiving heat of this room did bring something fucking weird out in people. 

The room was hot as fucking balls so Jack didn’t stick around himself. Plus, he figured he’d have work to do. Whatever that lemonade did to get his double to crumble so efficiently he’d never see it again. _Ever _. The thought had elicited something dark in Jack and soured his mood. Someone was going to answer for this even if the actual reason for Tim’s tears was unknown to the CEO. He just knew it felt fucking great to blame someone then punish them for it. Especially when the punishment was the singing tell of a neck snapping. It was another product line going to hell as Jack began planning a different drink to replace it. Maybe something sweeter like a fruit mix or something or an energy drink. Either way, someone was going to fix this before Jack had to test his maintained strength of his hands around a few necks…again.__

__

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the blbingo event on tumblr! I…have been struggling with the themes so I’m trying hard to get out fics even if they are short or drabbles. I want to get a bingo hah hah Not sure if the themes reset each week so going to assume they do and say this is the start over?
> 
>  
> 
>  **Themes:** Lemonade // Humidity // Sweat
> 
>  
> 
> This is just more self indulgence on my part. Jackothy is life.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Honestly, this wasn’t supposed to be a hurt/comfort/sad fic. It was meant to be light-hearted and funny but not sure where along the lines it became this. I was always curious about the relationship Tim had with his mother because of the dialogue of Tim mentioning she laughs when she learns of his death. Now if it’s laughter to stop the tears or if she found it that damn funny and didn’t care is unknown and not hinted enough. I felt like maybe Tim was closer to his mom than she was to him? Like he kind of deluded himself to think it was such a great relationship because that’s what he wanted from her or something but in reality she wasn’t affectionate at all or very little. He seems unsure when he says she cares even if he’s telling himself she does. Idk, my mind went a million places with this. 
> 
>  
> 
> Same with Jack’s reaction to Tim’s weakness. He’d see his image being so weak and I’m sure that would hit hard and remind him of times he was weak (like family related stuff and his daughter. This is not an AU so Angel still exists and also explains why I added in implied Jacknisha/Nishackothy; plus I like it so…). I found this dynamic interesting because what would happen if Jack had to deal with that? Seeing himself cry and be vulnerable when it’s the one thing he avoids the most? I don’t know but I tried to think of something like how he would probably deal with current day Angel. He’d deal with her pain the same way he does here? Not sure what to do so sugar coats it all with a smile and distract everyone involved from the bigger issue. Probably wouldn’t even acknowledge it let alone confront it. Jack seems like the denial type of character.
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for the long note, just though it’d be good to explain my mindset for this one. I really hope the characters seem in character. I kind of struggles with the tone for each here since this is something not covered canonically at all lol…I guess that’s not an excuse but I hope this is an enjoyable read. I plan to write for most of this event so if anyone has prompts for me with the summer bingo themes feel free to leave them here via messages or my tumblr companymask.tumblr.com.


End file.
